Li  S 


! I 


Hhy'? 


JANUARY,  1894. 


PuBUSHED  BY  THE  EXECUTIVE  BOARD. 


The  Indian’s  Friend 


Is  published  monthh-  by  The  Women’s  National  Indian 
Association,  at  the  low  price  of  thirt}-  cents  a year,  and  is  a 
medium  of  communication  between  the  Executive  Board  and  the 
Auxiliaries  and  Branches.  It  is  also  a record  of  current  legislation 
for  Indians;  a voice  of  appeal  for  the  needs  which  the  Association 
can  and  should  meet;  a suggestive  helper  to  workers  in  the  cause; 
a monthly  call  for  new  supporters;  a finger  to  point  where  practical 
help  can  be  given,  and  a chronicle  of  work  done  by  the  Association 
and  others. 

These  are  the  seven  major  objects  of  the  paper,  and  n// friends  of 
Indians  may  well  supj)ort  it.  No  other  means  will  more  effectively 
promote  the  efficiency  and  .success  of  the  Association. 

All  correspondence  relating  to  subscriptions  should  be  addressed 
to  Miss  II.  R.  Foote,  2105  Spruce  Street,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 


Publications  of  thf.  Women’s  National  Indian  Association. 


WORK 


OF  THE 

WOMEN’S  NATIONAL  INDIAN  ASSOCIATION. 


An  aged  Indian  chief,  in  making  a plea  for  his  people,  said, 
‘‘My  father  was  chief  of  all  the  Indians  and  used  to  tell  them 
what  it  was  right  to  do.  After  his  death  my  brother  became  chief, 
and  he  was  a good  chief  too.  I was  bad.  Whiskey  made  these 
lines  on  my  face.  When  ni\’  brother  died  they  wanted  me  to  be 
chief,  but  my  heart  was  full  of  bad.  I could  not  talk  good  out  of 
the  bad.  But  Washingtou  [Government]  wanted  me  to  be  chief, 
and  then  I studied  to  be  good.  I can’t  be  good.  I was  anxious 
to  learn  to  read,  and  to  use  pen  aud  ink.  I liked  my  family  to  go 
alongside  of  me,  and  I was  anxious  to  have  my  people  learn  to 
read  ^nd  write.  The  minister  tells  us  God  is  up  there.  I hear  it, 
but  it  goes  in  the  ear  and  out.  I lose  it.  I look  up  into  the  sky 
and  see  nothing.  Where  is  the  road  to  see  God  Almighty  ? I look 
through  something  that  the  white  man  uses  to  see  a long  distance, 
[the  telescope,]  but  I see  nothing  but  blue.  I look  down  and  see 
only  the  ground.  The  minister  took  the  Bible  and  interpreted 
what  Jesus  said,  and  that  was  to  me  a glass  to  see  God.  Then  I 


worked  harder  than  ever.  I wanted  to  see  my  people  read  and 
write  before  I died.”  And  he  earnestly  pleaded  for  a school,  a 
plea  not  yet  heard. 

Similar  appeals,  and  those  even  more  pathetic,  and  with  as  clear 
proof  of  abilit}',  conscience,  manhood,  and  religious  nature  con- 
stantly come  to  The  Women’s  National  Indian  Association,  deep- 
ening the  longing  to  help  all.  The  following  brief  pages  explain 
what  the  work  of  the  Association  is,  its  methods,  and  why  it  still 
works  for  Indians. 

WHAT  IS  THE  WORK  OF  THE  WOMEN’S  NATIONAL 
INDIAN  ASSOCIATION? 

First,  It  is  the  work  of  informing  the  public  regarding  the  needs, 
capabilities  and  progress  of  our  native  Indians,  and  also,  by  direct 
appeals,  it  is  the  work  of  moving  the  Government  to  render  just 
help  to  them.  It  also  points  out  how  Indians  ma}’  wisely  be 
helped  industrially,  educationally,  morally  and  religionsl)',  and  it 
seeks  to  win  such  help  for  them. 

Second,  It  is  the  work  of  sending  helpers  to  reside  among  In- 
dians to  labor  for  their  instruction  and  elevation,  to  assist  them  in 
home  building,  in  special  and  professional  education,  by  hospital 
work,  and  in  all  other  practical  and  practicable  ways. 

The  first  of  the  above  services  is  rendered  by  the  circnlation  of 
literature  and  petitions,  by  work  through  the  press,  and  by  public 
meetings.  Legislative  work  has  been  actively  done  thus  for 
nearly  fifteen  years  and  the  petitions,  letters  and  private  personal 
interviews  and  other  means  used  have  rendered  large  results. 
Hundreds  of  thousands  of  leaflets,  pamphlets  and  appeals  have 
been  circulated. 


The  first  petition,  that  of  February  1880,  was  a plea  for  the 
honest  fulfillment  of  government  compacts  with  Indians,  and  this 
Association  was  the  first  to  ask  and  labor  specifically  for  lands  in 
severalty  for  Indians,  for  their  citizenship,  for  universal  Indian 
education,  and  for  protection  by  law  for  them  as  for  all  other 
races  within  our  borders.  The  Association’s  second  petition 
asked  for  all  the  rights  of  Indians,  and  it  was  its  third  petition, 
that  of  February  1882,  which  asked  for  the  common  school  and 
industrial  education  of  all  Indian  children,  for  lands  in  severalty, 
and  citizenship.  Of  the  Association’s  earnest,  persistent  and 
widely  extended  agitation  of  this  subject,  vSenator  Dawes,  long 
chairman  of  the  Senate  Indian  Committee,  said  that  ‘the  new 
Indian  policy  of  government’  now  everywhere  approved  “was 
born  of  and  nursed  by  the  women  of  this  Association.’’  Note  as 
an  illustration  of  the  society’s  legislative  work  its  appeal  for  the 
starving  Piegans  in  the  winter  of  ’84  and  ’85  ; its  pleas  for  legisla- 
tion on  behalf  of  the  Indians  of  Round  Valley,  Cal.,  most  of  whose 
lands  were  in  fraudulent  white  possession  ; and  more  recently 
its  efforts  to  prevent  the  passage  of  the  bill  for  the  unjust  removal 
of  the  Utes  from  Colorado,  one  item  of  this  latter  work  having 
been  letters  to  more  than  three  hundred  editors  of  religious 
papers.  These  cases,  with  many  others,  by  the  efforts  of  the 
Association,  and  other  friends  of  Indians,  were  successful. 

Of  the  second  line  of  service,  that  among  Indians,  there  have 
been  four  varieties,  the  first  being  missionary  labor. 

THE  MISSION.^RY  DEP.\RTMENT 

Was  introduced  in  the  autumn  of  1884,  and,  remembering  that 
many  tribes  have  waited  more  than  a hundred  }’ears  in  vain  for 
the  gospel,  its  object  is  to  supply  all  of  the  destitute  tribes  and 


4 


separated  parts  of  tribes  of  this  country  with  a good  mission. 
This  work,  with  Government  approval  and  aid,  done  only  in 
tribes  and  portions  of  tribes  where  no  mission  work  is  being  done 
by  any  church  or  denominational  society  or  missionaries,  has  the 
plan  of  transferring  each  station  and  of  giving  its  mission  prop- 
erty, laiid,  cottage,  and  chapel,  to  one  of  the  permanent  societies 
as  soon  as  one  of  these  will  accept  it  for  permanent  work.  In  this 
way  the  Association  helps  all  the  great  missionary  organizations 
by  securing  the  missions  which  these  societies  are  not  at  present 
financially  able  alone  to  inaugurate.  The  result  is  that  during  the 
last  ten  years  thirty-three  mission  stations  have  been  established, 
directly  or  iudirectlj',  or  work  to  this  end  instigated,  and  have 
been  transferred,  and  are  now  in  Methodist,  Episcopal,  Baptist, 
Presbyterian,  United  Presbj'terian  or  Moravian  care.  These  are 
located  in  Indian  Territory,  in  North  and  South  Dakota,  Ne- 
braska, California,  Idaho  and  Florida.  As  defined  to  its  workers 
this  missionar}'  work  is  to  teach  Indians  to  make  and  properly 
keep  eomfortable  homes  ; to  teach  them  domestic  work  and  arts ; 
to  prepare  food  and  make  clothing;  to  care  for  the  sick  and  for 
children  ; to  respect  work  and  to  become  self-supporting ; to  in- 
fluence and  to  help  them  to  learn  the  English  language,  and  above 
all  and  constantl}'  to  teach  them  the  truths  of  the  gospel,  and  to 
seek  their  conversion  to  genuine  and  practical  Christianit}'.  This 
pioneer  work,  done  by  the  Association  as  a whole,  or  by  its  State 
auxiliarie.s,  is  such  as  is  done  in  our  great  cities,  and  includes 
house  to  house  visitation,  daj-  and  Sunda3'-schools,  instruction  in 
temperance  and  the  other  moralities,  and  religious  teaching.  Thig 
work  in  the  tribes  finds  the  individuals  who  desire  and  are  worthy 
of  special  education,  and  those  who  can  well  use  loan  funds  for 


o 


home  building,  and  for  the  purchase  of  implements,  sewing 
machines  and  furniture.  It  also  sees  the  political  and  other 
wrongs  needing  redress  at  the  agencies,  and  often  goes  far 
towards  finding  the  remedies  for  these. 

One  Indian  letter  thus  enlightens  man}’  while  pouring  griefs 
into  a friendly  ear  and  heart  whence  help  was  devised.  “We 
have  had  several  agents  in  the  past  and  they  have  taught  us  the 
white  men’s  wa3’s,  and  regulations  of  the  Government,  and 
religion.  They  advanced  us  in  every  way.  But  since  we  have  a 
new  agent  we  know  by  experience  that  everything  seem  stand 
on  its  head.  I mean  that  we  are  way  back  in  Indians  customs, 
dances,  medicine  dances—’’  impurity.  “ These  things  are  against 
the  regulations  of  Government,  if  I am  not  mistaken.  The  agent 
thinks  he  have  everything  in  his  hands.  He  covets  Indian  wives, 
and  he  tells  the  husband  if  he  ‘ don’t  bring  him  before  the  Court, 
or  let  it  be  known,  he  will  issue  him  everything  that  comes,  also 
give  him  rations.’  The  Indians  know  these  things  and  try  to  tell 
them,  or  write  to  somebody,  but  are  afraid.  Do  you  think  such 
men  should  hold  a position  under  Government  ? I think  not 
myself.  They  are  not  afraid  of  the  Government,  or  God,  because 
they  have  no  religion.’’ 

Our  missionary  work  also  furnishes  boxes  of  clothing  and  goods 
where  these  can  be  wiseh-  and  helpfully  used,  and  sent  aid  thus  to 
thirty  tribes  in  one  3’ear,  these  goods  being  valued  at  more  than 
$3000.  Other  gifts,  such  as  hardware  and  plows  haVe  been  sent 
to  a few  whom  Government  could  not  or  did  not  suppl}’,  and  the 
surprise  and  delight  of  the  recipients  were  a sermon  to  see. 
glimpse  of  the  variet}’  of  needs  met  and  of  some  of  the  ministra- 
tions rendered  11133-  be  gained  from  the  letters  of  those  who  have 
shared  the  work. 


G 


One  of  these,  from  Indian  Territory,  said,  “One  case  visited 
was  that  of  an  Indian  who  had  his  leg  terribly  crushed  by  an 
accident.  He  was  in  a dreadful  condition  when  I first  found  him 
and  I have  had  much  to  do  for  him.  At  first  it  seemed  that  he 
could  not  live,  but  I now  think  he  ma}’,  though  at  one  time  he 
sung  his  death  song  and  evidently  did  not  expect  to  live.  He 
said  “all  bad  here;  Wakonda  (God)  good.”  I tried  to  make  him 
understand  that  God  loves  him,  and  his  bed  shook  with  his  weep- 
ing as  I talked  with  him.  Is  it  not  blessed  that  we  can  say  by 
signs  ‘God  is  our  friend,’  to  the  poorest  dying  sinner,  and  that 
signs  even  can  take  a loving  message  from  heart  to  heart.  Thank 
God!  I could  not  repress  the  sobs  as  I walked  awaj’  from  the  sick 
bed  of  this  poor  dusky-browed  sufferer.  I find  enough  to  do  for 
the  sick  and  they  seem  to  think  that  I can  help  them.  I can  at 
least  call  and  comfort  them.”  “Another  case  was  that  of  a boy 
of  eighteen  dying  of  consumption.  I went  often  with  some  little 
thing  for  him.  He  could  not  talk,  but  looked  his  thanks.  He 
died  last  week  and  I saw  their  burial  rites.  Mj'  gift  of  a shirt  for 
his  burial  was  placed  in  the  coffin  beside  him  with  food,  dishes 
and  trinkets  to  use  on  the  way  and  in  the  spirit  land.”  The  lid 
was  left  open  at  one  end,  so  sure  are  they  that  the  spirit  takes 
form  and  goes — somewhere.  The  women  kept  up  a constant  wail- 
ing and  moaning  pitiful  to  hear,  and  the  father,  the  chief  mourner, 
entirely  naked  except  as  he  put  on  his  blanket  when  he  came  out- 
side the  house,  a few  days  later  had  his  arms  pierced  and  sticks 
put  in  the  places  to  complete  his  mourning.  In  another  house  was 
one  of  the  prettiest  looking  women  I have  ever  seen  in  the  tribe, 
with  three  little  girls  as  bright  as  possible.  The  mother  spoke  a 
few  words  of  English  and  we  had  a pleasant  talk,  and  I gave  her 


a skirt  and  material  for  a child’s  dress.  I shall  not  forget  how 
gracefully  she  bowed  to  the  East  to  tell  me  the  meaning  of  the 
child’s  name,  Rising  Sun.” 

Miss  Claudia  White  from  upper  California  wrote  ‘‘  On  Sunday 
we  hurried  to  go  to  Sunday-school.  Edith  and  Lulu  milked  the 
cows  while  we  ‘did  up’  the  little  household  work.  I harnessed 
Fly-away-Jim,  a colt  of  27  years,  to  our  commodious  dog-cart; 
Miss  B.  packed  in  the  singing-books,  bibles,  and  the  two  girls  with 
us,  and  away  we  went.  The  Sunday-school  room  seats  about  eighty 
persons.  Few  had  arrived  before  us  and  we  had  time  to  arrange 
the  desks  and  benches,  for  the  school-room  is  also  our  church; 
then  I went  to  the  door  and  asked  the  half-growu  boys  who  lounge 
around  on  steps  and  fences  smoking  cigarettes,  to  come  in  and 
help  us  sing,  and  placing  the  books  in  their  bauds  they  felt  that 
they  must  at  least  bring  them.  Very  soon  we  had  a goodly  num- 
bersinging the  old  hymn  ‘ Nearer  my  God  to  Thee,  ’ and  the  room 
rapidly  filled  as  the  music  floated  out  on  the  still  morning  air  to 
the  ears  of  those  ‘waiting  for  them  to  begin.’  Then  followed 
other  old  hymns  as  we  must  use  old  singing  books  having  no 
others.  On  that  day  we  had  three  classes,  Miss  B's,  consisting  of 
those  who  understood  English  well,  Capt.  B’s  class  made  up  of 
the  old  men  and  women  to  whom  he  talks  in  the  Indian  language, 
and  my  infant  class.  There  was  not  room  for  another  person  in 
the  school-house  and  we  had  a good  lesson,  after  which  we  hur- 
ried to  the  other  school  finding  there  also  a particularly  good 
attendance.  Capt.  C.  taught  the  larger  boys  and  Miss  B.  the 
women  and  girls.  My  class  was  exceptionally  large.  I have  now 
60  on  my  roll  for  the  two  schools,  and  the  average  attendance 
during  the  past  two  months  was  32.  The  preaching  to-night  was 


s 


by  Capt.  B.  Here  also  we  had  a full  house,  every  seat  being  oc- 
cupied, and  Jeff  Davis,  one  of  the  Indian  police,  was  compelled 
to  sit  on  the  stove-hearth.  One  man  is  especially  interested,  and 
yet  seems  not  to  have  made  up  his  mind  to  give  up  all  for  God’s 
service,  and  pleads  that  “it  is  so  hard  to  be  good  when  every  one 
is  against  yon.”  Last  Sunday  evening  two  asked  for  prayers,  one 
of  them  being  the  blind  girl  of  whom  I w’rote  you.” 

Several  women  came  this  morning,  one  of  them  bringing  basted 
work  to  be  stitched  on  my  machine.  Three  others  borrowed  the 
cart  and  went  to  town  for  flour  it  being  at  least  six  weeks  since 
there  has  been  a “ flour  issue,”  and  there  is  none  on  the  reserva- 
tion. I went  to  seeT.  L.  recently.  It  was  about  dusk  and  he  and 
his  wife,  two  other  women,  and  three  little  girls  sat  around  a small 
fire  in  the  yard.  “ Oh  ! are  you  eating  supper  ?”  I asked.  “No,” 
answered  Tony,  the  most  solemn  looking  Indian  on  the  reserva- 
tion; “No  supper,  no  flour,  uobeef,  no  bacon,  no  clothes;  nothing 
in  the  office.”  Then  he  added  something  in  Indian  and  Nancy 
entered  the  house  and  brought  out  a bucket  of  peaches.  Tony 
pointing  at  it,  said  gravely  “eat.”  I thanked  him  kindly  and 
‘did  eat.’  “Do  you  wish  to  sell  these?”  I asked.  “Yes,”  he  re- 
plied. “How  much  ?”  “ Four  bits,”  was  his  prompt  answer,  and 
he  brought  them  home  for  me.  I also  gave  him  some  pudding 
left  from  dinner,  with  a half  loaf  of  bread;  but,  according  to 
Indian  custom  there  were  no  spoken  thanks,  as  these  are  con- 
sidered a bid  for  ‘ more.’ 

In  the  afternoon  we  had  our  sewing-school  as  usual,  25  being 
present.  When  I asked  how  many  liked  to  come,  twenty-five 
hands  were  promptly  lifted. 

“Today  Topsy  Asbel  came  to  make  a dress  on  my  sewing- 


0 


machine,  and  Daniel  Webster  came  for  writing-paper,  and  wished 
to  w’rite  about  the  reservation,  saying  he  believed  that  he  could 
write  a story,  and  I told  him  to  try.  We  called  on  Tom  W’s  sick 
father,  carrying  some  milk  and  other  comforts.  We  found  him 
seated  on  the  floor  by  the  fire,  his  wife  holding  him  in  her  arms. 
He  knew  no  one,  not  even  old  Polly  his  wife.  Over  fifty  were 
present  at  the  prayer  meeting,  most  of  these  being  boys  and  young 
men  ; the  few  women  had  their  babies  with  them.  The  young 
girls  sang  well  and  we  wished  very  much  that  we  might  give  them 
all  good  singing  books.  Returning  home  I met  the  3-oung  man 
who  aspires  to  write  a story  of  his  life.  He  writes  remarkably 
well  and  I think  the  sketch  may  be  of  interest,  and  it  might  help 
him  in  some  way  as  he  has  a large  family  and  little  with  which  to 
feed  them,  now  that  there  is  no  flour  upon  the  reservation.  I love 
these  people,  and  my  work,  and  am  as  happy  as  the  daj-  is  long. 
I do  not  see  how  I could  be  any  happier.  I know  all  the  Indians, 
and  the  story  of  each,  and  it  zvould  break  my  heart  to  leave  them. 
Don’t  ask  me  to  do  it.”  At  our  Sunday-school  at  nine  o’clock  I 
think  the  average  attendance  is  about  seventy.  Two  weeks  ago 
last  Sunday,  it  seemed  as  though  we  were  not  to  get  there,  for  the 
horses  had  all  been  turned  out  into  the  field,  and  no  one  seemed 
willing  to  catch  one  for  us;  but  aftgr  some  trouble  one  was  caught, 
and  Miss  W.  soon  harnessed  him,  and  you  can  imagine  our  pleas- 
ure when,  as  we  reached  the  door,  a woman  came  out  saying  “no 
room  in  there ; awful  full  and  it  was  indeed  full. 

Another  letter  gives  this  incident.  “ Let  me  tell  you  something 
that  I suppose  never  happened  here  before.  There  was  an  Indian 
boy  of  eighteen  who  had  done  a good  manj'  things  for  us,  such  as 
cutting  wood,  building  a chicken  house,  &c.  He  is  very  lazy,  at 
1* 


10 


least  that  is  his  reputation,  for  he  will  not  work  on  the  reservation, 
though  he  made  a good  deal  of  money  at  sheep  shearing.  I left 
my  pocket  book  on  my  desk  one  afternoon — very  careless  of  me 
— and  next  morning  I missed  it.  For  sometime  I did  not  believe 
it  had  been  taken,  though  H.  acted  very  queerly,  and  did  not  come 
again.  Then  we  were  compelled  to  believe  he  had  taken  it,  but  I 
determined  not  to  accuse  him  of  it.  One  Sunday  night,  as  I was 
coming  home  after  taking  Mary  Anne,  the  blind  girl,  home,  I saw 
some  one  before  me,  and  stopped  to  ask,  “Who  is  that?”  “Me,” 
was  the  answer.  “ What  is  the  matter?”  “ Something  made  me 
sick.”  “ Well,  I will  give  you  medicine,”  1 said  and  he  followed 
me.  While  I was  preparing  the  dose  he  stood  in  the  doorway 
through  which  I had  gone  to  the  kitchen  where  the  lamp  was, — 
we  have  but  one, — and  I noticed  that  he  had  not  come  out  into 
the  light.  My  trunk  was  open.  As  I was  putting  away  some 
things  that  night,  1 found  my  purse  with  the  exact  amount  of 
money  in  it.  It  was  tucked  down  in  a corner.  I had  looked  in 
the  trunk  before,  as  1 had  through  everything  else,  and  thor- 
oughly. He  had  put  it  back.  He  does  steal  ; I know  that  now  ; 
but  I can’t  help  believing  there  is  good  iu  him,  as  indeed  there  is 
ill  everyone,  however  wicked.” 

One  in  Indian  Territory  who  had  had  a sad  and  sinful  life  found 
the  truth  of  God’s  love  and  redemption  iu  her  last  mouths  aud 
longed  to  recover  that  she  might  tell  her  people  of  the  Christ.  She 
w'as  much  iu  prayer  and  w'as'heard  to  pray  “ Do  dear  Jesus  bless  my 
dear  mother  [the  niissionar}-],  aud  don’t  let  her  get  discouraged. 
Aud  let  me  live  aud  help  her,  aud  let  un^  child  live  and  be  3"our 
child.  But  I want  it  all  as  j'ou  want  it.”  And  one  who  often 
heard  her  pleading,  saj’s,  “I  learned  new  lessons  from  this  poor 


11 


child’s  pra3'ers,  so  full  of  love  and  trust.”  Another  letter  says: 
“ I wish  you  could  have  beeu  with  me  yesterday  as  I walked  out  to 
take  some  flannel  to  F.  L ’s  grandmother  who  has  consumption. 
It  is  such  a nice  place.  It  rests  me  after  some  of  the  badly  kept 
houses.  How  I wish  more  families  were  like  them.  There  are  not 
two  or  three  wives  there.  You  ask  ‘ Do  they  get  your  ideas  ?’  I 
think  they  do,  very  quickly,  especially  if  they  think  I have  any- 
thing to  give.  That  idea  goes  through  the  tribe  like  a telegram. 
And  oh  how  all  need  soap  and  combs,  and  to  know  how  to  keep 
clean,  and  to  live,  and  in  short,  everything  !”  At  another  date  we 
have  this  : “I  have  good  news  of  G.  who  would  not  come  home, 
but  having  earned  $20,  went  West  with  one  of  the  other  young 
men.  All  were  unanimous  in  his  praise  as  a truly  converted  man 
and  earnest  Christian.  He  is  the  youth  I begged  so  earnestly  to 
go  off  to  school.  He  first  read  to  me  in  the  Bible  how  God  so 
loved  us  as  to  give  His  Son,  and  thus  he  heard  of  Jesus,  whom 
now  knowing  he  loves.  His  first  knowledge  of  the  Gospel  was 
received  when  wanning  himself  bj-  my  kitchen  stove  while  cutting 
wood  for  me.” 

A report  of  our  Connecticut  auxiliary  says  : “ Our  missionaries 
have  been  faithfully  and  patientU'  trj’ing  to  get  some  hold  of  the 
Shoshones  and  Bannocks  on  the  Fort  Hall  reservation  in  Idaho, 
and  the  Indians  are  attracted  by  the  singing  to  come  into  the 
Sunday-school.  About  sixty  women  have  been  engaged  in  sewing 
patch-work  to  be  made  up  for  them  into  much  needed  comfort- 
ables, and  from  time  to  time  the  men  show  their  appreciation  of 
skilled  labor  by  applj-ing  to  the  ladies  to  cut,  make,  or  starch 
their  shirts.  Through  numberless  acts  of  kindness  our  mission- 
aries have  gradually  won  the  confidence  of  these  poor  people. 


12. 


and  have  been  recognized  as  their  true  friends.  We  were  much 
encouraged  b}-  the  tidings  of  two  Christian  marriages  here 
among  the  Indians,  the  first  ever  solemnized  on  the  reservation, 
and  the  winter's  work  began  hopefully.  Last  winter  a mothers’ 
meeting  was  held  on  Saturdays,  when  the  women  were  encour- 
aged to  make  garments  for  themselves,  and  at  the  same  time 
were  taught  some  passages  from  God’s  Word.  Herbert  ' and 
Evelj-n,  one  young  married  couple,  came  to  an  evening  class 
which  sometimes  numbered  six  pupils.  A class  of  six  children 
from  seven  to  twelve  years  old  was  also  taught  daily.  Coming 
directly  from  the  camps,  they  were  so  dirty  that  every  morning 
their  teacher  had  to  wash  and  dress  the  girls,  lending  them  clean 
suits  to  wear  through  the  day.”  The  mission  buildings  are  now 
completed  and  occupied  by  the  missionaries,  the  school,  and  the 
Christian  farmer  who  manages  the  farm  and  teaches  Indian  men 
in  agricultural  work,  as  is  done  at  other  stations,  and  great 
progress  has  of  late  been  made  there. 

The  wife  of  the  Superintendent  of  our  Ramona  Missions,  among 
the  Mission  Indians,  at  a station  then  supported  by  our  New  York 
City  auxiliary,  w'rote:  “ Please  express  m3'  heartfelt  thanks  to  all 
the  kind  friends  who  have  contributed  articles  to  m3'  sewing 
school.  The  attendance  has  not  3'et  been  very  regular,  as  it  is 
sheepshearing  time,  and  the  girls  have  been  away  with  the  fami- 
lies to  assist  in  caring  for  the  little  children  and  babies.  The  girls 
here  niarrv  very  young;  there  are  ver3’  few  over  fourteen  who  are 
not  married,  and  there  are  a great  mau3'  little  children  here.  Last 
w'eek  I found  two  new  babies,  one  only  two  days  old,  and  one 
nearly  two  weeks  old,  and  neither  had  on  an3'  article  of  clothing. 
One  was  wrapped  in  a piece  of  cheese-cloth  and  cr3'ing  with  colic. 


18 


and  the  baby  two  days  old  was  wrapped  in  a piece  of  old  calico 
and  lying  on  the  ground  on  a piece  of  an  old  quilt.  The  mother 
also  was  lying  on  the  ground,  covered  with  a blanket.  This  family 
lives  in  a brush-hut  called  a ‘wickyup.’  The  women  do  not  seem 
to  make  any  provision  for  their  little  ones.  All  the  girls  can  sew 
■very  neatly;  even  little  girls  of  six  and  seven  years  of  age  sew 
as  well  as  most  girls  of  fourteen  and  sixteen.  My  girls  have  made 
one  dress  for  a girl  of  seven  years,  an  apron  for  a woman,  and  a 
baby  dress,  besides  sewing  together  quite  a number  of  patches  for 
a quilt.  I keep  the  patch-work  for  the  little  ones  to  work  at,  and 
the  older  ones  help  when  1 have  nothing  else  for  them  to  do. 
They  have  plenty  of  food,  and  their  other  needs  are  few  during 
summer;  but  we  are  told  that  there  is  a great  deal  of  suffering 
among  them  during  the  rainy  season.  They  need  help  now;  and 
help  to  learn  how  to  help  themselves.” 

One  of  the  most  interesting  stations  is  among  the  improperly 
so-called  Digger  Indians,  among  the  mountains  of  Upper  Califor- 
nia, where  a school  was  opened  which  has  grown  from  a beginning 
of  ten  pupils  to  a prosperous  school  of  over  forty,  some  of  whom 
walked  last  winter  a mile  and  a half  through  the  heavy  snows 
with  their  feet  tied  up  in  barley  sacks  having  no  shoes  and  stock- 
ings. Their  Christmas  eve  is  thus  described  by  the  teacher  who 
officiated  as  Santa  Claus.  “For  our  Christmas  tree  we  bought 
enough  candy,  nuts,  etc.,  to  fill  eighty-four  Irright-colored  bags; 
four  dozen  handkerchiefs,  and  about  as  many  small  toys.  When 
Christmas  night  came  we  all  had  a surprise.  The  children  were 
delighted  when  they  heard  the  sleigh  bells,  and  their  eyes  grew  as 
round  and  bright  as  new  dollars  when  they  saw  old  Santa  Claus 
for  the  first  time.  With  what  rapt  attention  they  listened  to  a re- 


14 


cital  of  his  journey  over  the  snowy  hills  to  bring  some  of  the 
Christmas  things  to  the  Indian  boys  and  girls  of  this  valley. 
Then  he  told  them  the  old,  thrilling  story  of  the  birth  of  Jesus 
on  Christmas  Day.  Then  Santa  Claus  was  himself  surprised  also, 
for  he  saw  assembled  in  the  school-room  152  Indians,  and  tears 
came  into  his  eyes  when  he  saw  how  delighted  they  all  were  at 
this  his  first  visit;  and  I know,  too,  that  he  felt  a little  ashamed 
of  himself  for  neglecting  the  poor  Indian  children  so  long.  He 
told  them  when  he  said  good-bye  that  he  would  pray  God  to  fill 
his  sleigh  so  full  of  needful  things  another  year  that  he  would 
have  to  hire  a pair  of  goats  to  go  with  his  reindeer  to  bring  the 
load  over  the  mountains.  I am  not  sure,  but  I think  that  old 
Santa  Claus  was  about  as  happy  as  any  of  the  little  Indians,  and 
I think,  too,  as  he  drove  away  that  night  through  the  snow-be- 
spangled forest,  that  he  went  with  a light  heart,  and  that  many 
thoughts  crowded  upon  his  mind  which  had  never  been  there 
before.  After  the  Christmas  presents  were  distributed  we  had  an 
eutertaiumeut  gotten  up  by  our  own  family.” 

It  is  hoped  that  this  school  mission  will  presently  reach  the 
Indians  of  the  five  valleys  near,  and  only  money  is  lacking  to 
spread  light  and  gladness  over  them  all.  Civilized  games  here 
have  done  good  work  for  English  speaking  and  civilization.  This 
same  teacher  said:  ‘‘  I have  succeeded  quite  well  in  teaching  the 

boys  the  terms  used  in  playing  base  ball,  aud  if  you  could  hear 
them  shouting,  ‘‘Put  it  to  third,”  ‘‘Two  strikes,”  aud  “Foul” 
and  ‘‘Out,”  3'ou  might  believe  it  a Baj-  City  Niue.  I call  them 
The  Native  Nine.  I teach  them  in  play  the  use  of  Euglish  words 
that  otherwise  would  be  hard  for  them  to  acquire.  The  Sunday- 
school  is  a great  help  to  the  day  school,  as  it  interests  the 


15 


parents  and  makes  them  anxious  to  have  their  children  attend' 
regularly.”  In  another  tribe  a returned  student  organized  a ball 
club,  and  later,  according  to  his  plan,  turned  it  into  a Y.  M.  C.  A. 
and  its  excellent  service.  A magic  lantern  with  slides  illustrating 
Pilgrim’s  Progress  has  done  admirable  work  among  our  Ramona 
Missions  the  people  gathering  hours  beforehand  to  hear  and  see^ 
and  thinking  a two  hours’  lecture  far  too  short. 

Another  letter  from  Indian  Territory  says  do  tiot  know  that 
I have  ever  told  you  what  is  the  most  discouraging  feature  of  my 
work,  but  I now  say  it  is  this  constant  visiting  between  the  tribes. 
There  are  always  some  away  from  this  cause,  or  visitors  are  here. 
A number  of  them  go  off  and  take  their  families,  aud  stay  three 
or  four  weeks,  or  until  they  get  gifts  of  ponies.  Sometimes  I 
make  an  effort  to  visit  a house  at  a distance,  and  arrive  to  find  the 
door  fastened  ; then  crossing  a mile  or  two,  in  another  direction, 
find  the  house  there  also  shut  up.  So  much  depends  upon  th^ 
agent’s  influence. 

“ One  of  our  best  men,  H.  11.  is  sick,  and  has  been  bled  by  In- 
dian doctors  until  he  is  laid  quite  low.  I called  yesterday  aud 
thought  him  very  sick,  but  what  was  my  surprise  to  see  them  pre- 
paring to  move.  A wagon  was  being  loaded  with  trunks  aud 
some  household  goods  ; and  the  poor  sick  man  was  led  out  aud 
helped  into  the  wagon  just  as  the  rain  commenced  and  the  north- 
east wind  was  blowing  so  fiercely  as  to  tax  the  energies  of  the 
strong  and  well.  This  is  from  their  superstition.  A man  must 
not  die  in  the  house  in  which  the  family  wish  to  live.  I expect 
this  man  was  moved  to  a tepee.  Poor  fellow,  he  could  hardly 
stand  with  all  their  help,  and  it  required  a great  effort  to  get  him 
into  the  wagon,  and  I feel  sure  that  with  care  and  medicine  he 
could  live. 


16 


“ I crossed  over  the  prairie  to  find  the  man  who  buried  his  wife 
the  day  before,  and  to  learn  what  had  become  of  the  baby.  I 
found  him  moaning  and  in  a raging  fever,  probably  caused  largely 
by  grief  He  too  is  one  of  our  best  young  married  men.” 

Our  medical  missionary  Dr.  Susan  La  Flesche,  among  the 
Omahas,  in  one  report  said  “ During  the  month  of  July  I had  37 
patients  only,  ^r  I was  away  for  a week’s  vacation.  In  August  I 
had  III;  in  September,  130;  and  this  month,  so  far,  100  cases.  I 
have  had  both  acute  and  chronic  cases,  the  principal  ones  and  a 
majority  being  in  the  spring  and  fall.  There  have  been  epidemics 
of  ‘‘epidemic  catarrh”  or  influenza;  dysentery  and  cholera 
morbus  among  the  adults,  and  cholera  infantum  among  the  in- 
fants ; and  malarial  fevers,  the  last  epidemic  being  sore  eyes,  or 
mucopurulent  ophthalmia  or  conjunctivitis.  The  last  disease  has 
attacked  all,  regardless  of  age  ; but  it  is  now  at  an  end,  and  there 
were  not  as  many  as  there  might  have  been,  for  they  followed 
my  instructions  to  use  separate  towels  and  basins  to  prevent 
contagion.  I’ve  had  about  twenty  cases  of  bronchitis  beginning 
with  colds.”  This  is  a glimpse  of  her  varied  service.  She  adds, 
“I  am  enjoying  my  work  exceedingl}',  and  feel  more  interest  in, 
and  more  attached  to  my  people  than  ever  before.  I have  not  a 
single  thing  to  complain  of,  for  ‘‘surely  my  Hues  have  fallen 
unto  me  in  pleasant  places,”  and  my  life  here  is  a very  happy 
one.  I thank  you  so  much  for  all  you  have  done  for  me  aud  my 
people.”  Our  hospital  work  is  referred  to  on  page  30. 

The  mission  of  our  Massachusetts  auxiliary,  a unique  one,  has 
been  a school  for  the  Apache  prisoners  at  Mt.  Vernon,  Ala.  Of 
this  the  Massachusetts  Secretary,  Miss  M.  E.  Dewey,  said;  ‘‘Our 
hopes  for  the  first  year  have  been  fully  realized,  aud  the  children 


17 


are  improving  in  every  respect  under  the  care  of  teachers  thor- 
oughly devoted  to  the  cause.  One  striking  instance  of  the  new 
light  thrown  upon  the  young  Indian’s  life  by  these  teachers  is  the 
formation  among  the  older  boys  of  a guard  of  honor  for  the  girls’ 
whom  the  younger  fry,  in  old  Indian  fashion,  were  disposed  to 
hustle  and  annoy.  This  is  a true  order  of  chivalr}’,  and  shines 
out  upon  the  dark  background  of  the  ordinar)’  savage  contempt 
for  women,  as  knight  errantry  itself  does  on  the  gloom  of  the 
Middle  Ages.  Miss  Shepard  aims  to  lead  her  flock,  not  to  drive 
them.  She  does  not  attack  their  old  familiar  customs  with  dis' 
gust,  but  treats  them  with  kindly  consideration  while  advising 
better,  and  she  has  just  met  with  a signal  reward  for  her  patience 
and  tact,  in  a voluntarj-  request  from  the  boys  to  have  their  hair 
cut  short.  The  amount  of  barbarism  cut  off  with  those  elf-locks 
can  hardly  be  over-estimated.  The  love  of  savage  decoration,  the 
warrior’s  grasp  of  the  scalp-lock,  the  wild  unkempt  scorn  of  civil- 
ization, all  fell  before  those  scissors,  and  a new  vista  of  progress 
is  unveiled.” 

One  of  the  most  remarkable  revolutions  taking  place  to-daj- 
among  Indians  is  that  among  the  Moquis  of  Arizona,  many  of 
whom  are  coming  down  from  the  mesas  or  high  rock  ledges  and 
plateaus,  leaving  their  little  abode  and  stone  villages  behind,  and 
opening  farms  on  the  plains  below’  and  building  there  good 
houses.  This  work,  very  largely  due  to  Superintendent  and  Mrs. 
Collins  of  the  government  school,  has  been  greatly  aided  by  the 
many  boxes  sent  from  the  Branches  of  our  .Associstiou.  Of  this 
help  Mrs.  Collins  says:  ‘‘All  these  houses  thus,  by  missionary 
work,  contain  curtains,  lambrequins,  pictures,  sewing  bags,  a half 
dozen  teaspoons,  a large  spoon,  salt  cellar,  lamp-mat,  comb, 


18 


brush,  etc.  The  ticks,  sheets,  pillow-cases  and  other  bedding  had 
to  go  as  far  as  they  could.  I gave  three  of  the  towels  to  each 
home,  and  have  found  a looking-glass,  scissors,  some  dishes,  and 
a few  other  necessary  things  for  each  house.  The  arrangement 
of  things,  and  instructions  as  to  where  and  how  to  keep  them,  are 
greatl}'  appreciated.  I can’t  tell  you  how  glad  they  are.  It  is  a 
continual  “Thank  you.”  The  box  from  New  York  contained  so 
many  useful  things  ! The  Newark,  N.  J.,  society  sent  us  a valu- 
able lot  of  table-ware.  The  articles  individualized  are  500  plates, 
500  cups,  500  spoons,  300  pans,  \]4.  gross  cutlery,  to  which  Mrs. 
Griffith  added  24  dozen  plates,  24  dozen  cups,  24  dozen  spoons. 
And  the  people  appreciate  )-our  efforts.  The  rooms  are  tidy  and 
in  order,  just  as  arranged,  and  I notice  also  that  they  are  careful 
of  the  bedding,  towels,  and  curtains,  and  they  keep  themselves 
more  tidy  since  the  combs  and  brushes  were  given  them.  They 
now  eat  at  the  table  instead  of  sitting  on  the  floor  as  heretofore. 
Indeed  I see  a most  wonderful  change  among  them.  If  our 
Eastern  friends  could  only  see  how  happj’  they  are  made  by  the 
help  given  they  would  feel  that  their  efforts  are  rewarded.  If 
there  were  only  some  missionaries  among  them  uowd”  Recently 
our  New  Jersey  auxiliary  furnished  tw'O  salaries,  our  Philadelphia 
association  gave  the  cottage  and  Rev.  H.  Voth  and  wife,  two  good, 
missionaries,  are  now  on  this  field. 

The  economy  of  missionary  work  will  be  .seen  from  an  official 
statement  that  “ In  seven  3-ears  it  cost  the  United  States  11,848,000 
for  the  support  of  2200  Dakota  Indians  in  a savage  state.  The 
cost  for  seven  years  after  the3' were  Christianized  was  $120,000; 
a saving  of  $1,728,000,  or  $246,857  per  annum.” 


19 


THE  HOME  BUILDING  WORK 

Adopted  by  the  Association  in  November,  1S85,  has  been  a most 
interesting  department  and  has  builded  or  well  repaired,  by  loan 
funds,  fifty  or  sixty  homes  which  have  changed  the  lives  of  prob- 
ably a hundred  Indians,  and  have  been  centres  of  light,  civiliza- 
tion and  right  influence  in  the  various  tribes  where  they  have 
been  located.  Loaned  funds  have  also  done  a benificent  service 
in  tbe  purchase  of  implements  and  other  helps  of  civilization,  in 
awakening  right  ambitions  and  in  the  development  of  Indian 
capabilities,  and  the  debts  thus  incurred  have  been  paid  even  more 
promptly  than  could  reasonably  have  been  expected.  Assistance 
in  this  w’ay  has  been  given  to  the  Omahas,  Winnebagoes,  Kiowas, 
Sioux,  Dakotas,  Cheyennes,  Arapahoes,  Hoopas,  Nooksachks 
and  Alaskans.  Loans  of  from  |2oo  to  $500  have  been  made  to 
enable  Indians  to  build  homes,  and  smaller  sums,  varying  from 
five  to  one  hundred  dollars,  have  been  furnished  to  assist  appli- 
cants in  the  purchase  of  farming  implements,  horses,  harness, 
crockery,  window-glass,  doors,  small  hardware,  clothing,  cooking 
utensils,  etc.,  etc. 

During  the  first  year  $122  was  returned;  during  the  second 
$177.50,  the  next  $553,  the  following  year  $652.15,  the  next  $~6o, 
and  last  year  $900.  Several  of  the  cottages  built  have  been  in 
Alaska.  One  was  for  Thomas  Moore  of  the  Chilcat  tribe  and  of 
him  Dr.  Sheldon  Jackson  says,  “He  is  manly  in  appearance, 
obliging  in  disposition,  agreeable  in  manners,  and  possesses  more 
native  refinement  and  dignity  than  any  other  boy  in  school.  He 
has  been  at  school  about  three  years,  speaks  broken  English,  and 
is  a fair  carpenter.  He  expects  to  marry  Mattie,  who  has  been 
in  school  about  five  years.  Mattie  is  a good  cook,  and  will  doubt- 


20 


less  make  a good  housekeeper.  She  is  au  earnest  Christian,  and 
has  been  instrumental  in  bringing  both  her  parents  to  Christ.” 

Of  another  a report  says,  “John  Willard  has  been  in  school 
about  four  years,  aud  has  learned  the  carpenter’s  trade.  He 
expects  soon  to  marry  Jennie.  At  twelve  years  of  age  she  was 
sold  by  her  own  mother  to  a white  miner,  for  |ioo,  and  taken  to 
the  mines  i6o  miles  away.  She  had  been  attending  the  mission 
day-school  for  a short  time  and  had  learned  a little  concerning 
right  aud  wrong.  She  hated  her  life  of  slavery  and  sin,  and  refused 
to  be  comforted.  Whenever  she  would  see  her  mother  she  begged 
to  be  allowed  to  go  to  the  mission  school.  She  was  so  unhappy, 
that,  at  last,  the  mother’s  heart  was  touched,  and  she  returned 
the  money  to  the  miner,  who  was  very  glad  to  get  rid  of  the  girl 
who  cried  all  the  time.  Once  back  iu  the  mission  home  she  de- 
veloped into  a conscientious  trustworthy  girl,  with  a consistent 
'Christian  character.  She  has  been  very  successful  iu  gospel  work 
among  her  kindred,  having  brought  grand-parents,  uncles  and 
aunts,  seven  or  eight  iu  number,  into  the  kingdom.” 

Of  another  of  these  Alaskans  it  was  added,  “ Paul  has  been  in 
school  about  four  years,  and  has  learned  the  blacksmith’s  trade. 
He  expects  to  marry  Kate,  who  is  said  to  be  the  best  girl  aud 
finest  worker  in  Prof.  Kelly’s  school.  Kate  is  a devoted  Chris- 
tian, and  has  accomplished  much  good  among  her  people.  These 
young  people  will  probably  be  married  this  fall,  aud  move 
directly  into  the  homes  made  possible  to  them  by  the  women  of 
this  Association.  The  cottages  are  24  feet  square  aud  one  and  a 
half  stories  high.  Each  has  a living  room,  kitchen,  pantry  and 
wood-house  on  first  floor,  and  two  bed-rooms  and  a closet  in  the 
half  story  or  attic.” 


21 


In  one  of  her  reports,  Mrs.  S.  T.  Kinney  president  of  the  Con- 
necticut auxiliary,  and  who  introduced  this  home  building  there, 
some  months  before  it  was  adopted  by  the  national  Association, 
and  who  for  six  years  managed  this  department,  says,  “During 
the  past  year,  thirty-seven  applications  for  assistance  have  been 
received  from  representatives  of  eight  different  tribes.  In  several 
of  these  cases  immediate  assistance  was  not  required,  but  the^re- 
quests  were  made  in  advance  so  that  the  applicants  might  be 
prepared  to  meet  expected  emergencies  in  the  near  future.  The 
fact  that  so  many  alleged  “savages”  have  sufficient  foresight  to 
thus  cannily  plan  for  their  future,  indicates  a degree  of  shrewd 
business  sense  which  is  as  gratifying  as  it  is  (to  some  people)  sur- 
prising, and  it  argues  well  for  their  future  success.” 

“ It  is  interesting  also  to  note  the  difference  in  the  general 
character  of  the  letters  received  from  Indians  during  the  last  year 
or  two,  as  compared  with  those  which  came  during  the  earlier 
years  of  this  work.  As  a rule,  the  penmanship  is  far  better  ; the 
orthography  also  ; the  requests  for  aid  are  couched  in  more  busi- 
ness like  language.” 

Of  another  beneficiary,  in  California,  one  of  our  missionaries 
there  writes:  “ N.  is  a very  worthy  young  man,  who  owns  no 
house,  and  I believe  he  is  the  very  one  to  begin  with  in  the  work 
of  proper  home-building.  With  fifty  dollars  quite  a neat  house 
could  here  be  built,  and  such  an  example  would  do  much  to 
stimulate  others  to  do  their  best  in  home- building.”  A little 
later,  this  request  for  assistance  having  been  granted  and  the 
money  forwarded,  the  following  letter  was  received  by  the  Chair- 
man of  the  Committee:  “Dear  unknown  Friend,  I very  much 
pleased  to  write  a short  little  letter.  Will  you  have  the  kindness 


22 

to  read  it.  Yesterday  I was  at  the  service  of  Mr.  Weinland  [our 
missionarj']  and_  he  gave  me  your  name  and  address  so  that  I 
might  write  to  you.  He  told  me  that  he  had  the  mouey  iii  the 
hank  so  that  I could  commence  building.  And  so  I thank  you 
ver}'  much  for  your  kindness  of  lending  me  that  much  of  money. 
I thought  all  about  it.  And  now  I think  of  beginning  on  the 
middle  of  June,  or  a little  over  then,  because  I want  to  work  out 
a little,  while  there  is  work,  because  work  is  very  scarce  here. 
Excuse  me  my  bad  scratching  and  mispelled  words.  It  is  getting 
late,  so  I must  close.”  ■ 

“Another  beneficiarj'  is  a Sioux  Indian,  a regularly  ordained 
priest  of  the  Episcopal  Church,  and  still  another  is  clerk  at  an 
agency  in  Dakota.  His  credentials  speak  of  him  as  a “reliable, 
honest  man,  a competent  business  man  who  performs  his  duties 
as  clerk  at  this  ageucy  to  the  satisfaction  of  all  concerned.”  One 
of  our  beneficiaries  returned  $25  to  the  treasury,  and  wrote  as, 
follows  ; “I  have  been  wanting  to  pay  you  some  of  the  money  I 
borrowed,  but  could  not  do  it  until  now.  I w'as  glad  and  thank- 
ful when  3'ou  helped  me  to  build  niv  home,  and  now  I am  glad 
and  thankful  I can  paj'  some  back.  I did  not  paj"  you  when  our 
annuitj'  was  paid  us  because  I ow'ed  white  men  for  two  horses, 
the  white  men  were  right  there  and  took  the  money  from  me." 
This  Indian  is  the  same  who  two  j'ears  ago  applied  for  a loan, 
not,  as  he  then  said,  because  he  wished  to  be  made  more  comfort- 
able. He  had  had  a hard  life  ; he  had  not  been  successful  ; he 
was  discouraged  and  weary  of  the  long  struggle  ; he  and  his  wife 
could  die,  as  they  had  lived,  in  a tent ; he  did  not,  therefore,  ask 
help  for  himself,  but  for  the  sake  of  his  two  boys  he  would  be 
glad  of  a small  loau,  so  that  when  they  returned  from  Carlisle 


there  might  be  a comfortable  home  for  them  to  come  to.  He 
quite  unconsciously  hit  upon  the  real  motive  which  instigated 
the  Home  Building  work  of  the  Association.” 

At  one  of  these  homes  visited  by  some  of  our  officers  the  little 
cottage  was  not  only  tidy,  pretty  and  comfortable,  but  it  stood  in 
the  midst  of  a fine  prairie  farm  in  northeastern  Nebraska  on  which 
were  fine  stock,  good  fences,  and  the  granary,  filled  with  new 
wheat,  and  the  Omaha  owner  expected  to  harvest  that  season 
about  two  thousand  bushels  of  corn.  It  requires  no  imagination 
to  recognize  the  vast  change  which  conies  thus  in  a very  few  years 
to  ail  Indian  family  by  a judicious  loan  just  at  the  right  time. 

One  incident  shows  the  change  of  character  wrought  within  the 
man  by  industrial  inspiration  and  home  help.  On  her  late  visit 
to  the  Idaho  mission  of  our  Connecticut  auxiliary',  Mrs.  Kinney 
assured  an  Indian  that  she  had  ‘‘  never  heard  a genuine  war 
whoop  and  greatly  desired  to  know  what  it  was  like.  As  this 
fellow  but  a few  years  before  had  been  whooping  it  up  on  the 
war  path,  and  perhaps  had  tomahawked  more  than  one  pale  face, 
I concluded  he  could  initiate  me  into  the  mysteries  of  the  fiendish 
crj",  but  to  my  surprise  he  refused  to  do  so.  He  looked  at  me  for 
a moment  quietly  and  gravely,  and  then  said  : ‘ Me  no  want  to  do 
it;  no  have  war  whoops  any  more  ; me  shot  ’em  all  off  long  ago; 
me  all  same  white  man  now;  no  more  fight,  no  more  war  whoop; 
me  too  busy  now,’  and  he  waved  his  hand  toward  a couple  of 
heaped  up  hay  carts  just  turning  into  the  yard.  That  told  the 
whole  story.  He  had  worked  and  enjoyed  it,  and  there  was 
neither  time  nor  disposition  for  anj’thing  else.” 

OUR  EOUC.\'flONAL  WORK 

Has  been  domestic  and  industrial)  largely,  and  has  been  done  iu 


24 


evening  schools,  though  three  day  schools  in  destitute  places 
have  been  conducted  with  the  aid  of  government.  The  work  of 
aiding  bright  Indians  in  professional  education  has  also  been 
served  by  the  Special  Education  Committee,  elected  in  November, 
1888,  and  by  individuals  and  auxiliaries,  or  by  the  joint  gifts  of 
many  branches.  One  of  those  thus  receiving  a professional  edu- 
cation, and  the  first  Indian  woman  physician,  is  Dr.  Susan  La 
Flesche,  now  the  government  physician  among  her  people,  the 
Omahas,  to  whom  allusion  is  made  in  what  is  said  of  our  Hos- 
pital Department,  and  several  others  have  been  aided  in  medical 
education  or  trained  as  nurses,  while  still  others  have  received 
help  in  preparing  for  teaching  or  some  other  department  of  work 
among  their  own  people.  One  having  supported  himself  for  two 
years  by  selling  his  own  pictures  applied  "for  means  to  pursue  an 
art  education;”  another,  an  Indian  girl  said,  " either  my  brother 
or  myself  must  study  law  so  as  to  know  and  defend  the  rights  of 
our  people.  He  chooses  to  be  a merchant;  will  you  help  me  to 
study  law?”  Many  applications  from  worthj’  young  men  and 
women  have  been  received,  but  means  to  aid  many  have  been 
wanting. 

It  is  interesting  to  observe  that  general  Indian  education  has 
been  revolutionized  during  these  past  fifteen  years,  and  since 
Captain  Pratt  introduced  Indian  education  into  the  East;  and  that 
the  appropriations  of  government,  owing  to  the  agitation  of  the 
Indian  question,  have  been  increased  in  this  period  from  twenty 
thousand  dollars  to  two  and  a third  millions  of  dollars,  and  that 
in  the  same  time  the  seventy-one  military  posts  having  care  and 
control  of  Indians  have  been  reduced  to  ten  such  posts.  Au 
appropriation  of  175,000  for  the  education  of  bright  Indians  was 


'23 

placed  at  the  command  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior  and 
should  have  been  available  for  such  work,  making  it  unnecessary 
for  societies  to  provide  funds  for  this  purpose. 

THE  DEP.4RTMENT  OF  1NDI.\N  LEGISE.'t.TION 
Was  adopted  in  i88S,  though  work  in  aid  of  legislation  had  been 
pursued  from  the  beginning,  and  indeed  for  five  years  constituted 
the  entire  work  of  the  Association.  This  newer  department  is  for 
the  definite  purpose  of  keeping  the  branches  informed  of  the 
special  legislation  needed,  and  the  bright  papers  of  Miss  Kate 
Foote  have  edified  and  interested  the  workers.  .A.  further  division 
of  labor  was  made,  in  the  election,  1891,  of  a Committee  on  Legis- 
lative Work.  The  special  activity  of  this  latter  Committee  has 
been  to  advise  the  branches  how  best  to  do  their  legislative  work; 
what  methods  to  adopt  in  sending  petitions  and  letters;  how  best 
to  work  for  increased  appropriations;  to  secure  action  against  un- 
just Indian  legislation,  and  in  favor  of  measures  specially  needed. 
This  new  Committee  has  sent  out  many  hundreds  of  letters,  cir- 
culars and  instructions  to  the  branches,  and  has  thus  greatly  aided 
important  legislation. 

THE  YOUNG  PEOPLE’S  DEP.\RTMENT 

Introduced  in  18S9,  has  vigorously  enlisted  the  assistance  of  many 
young  people’s  organizations,  and  has  sent  gifts  and  important 
contributions  to  the  educational  and  missionary  work  of  the  .Asso 
ciation  at  many  points,  besides  widely  advertising  Indian  needs 
and  methods  of  supplying  them.  Its  Chairman  says,  “The 
Women’s  National  Indian  Association  has  been  grandl}-  pio- 
neered, is  strongly  and  broadly  organized  to-da}',  but  is  it  paying 
enough  attention  to  the  training  of  young  recruits?’’  As  an  illus- 


;:g 

tration  of  what  young  people  can  do  she  cites  the  following,  “Four 
young  girls  about  twelve  years  of  age  were  incited  by  the  words 
of  one  member  of  our  Association  to  do  something  to  help  the 
Indians.  They  formed  a societ}-,  and  their  regard  for  it  was  not 
lessened  b}'  the  fact  that  each  one  was  an  officer.  They  held  reg- 
ular meetings,  conducted  behind  closed  doors  with  great  business 
secrecy,  which  finally  resulted  in  a parlor  fair  to  which  they  sum- 
moned their  friends  by  written  invitations.  All  arrangements 
were  made  by  these  four  girls,  and  they  were  justly  radiant  when 
their  fair  netted  I130.  Never  mind  if  afterwards  they  did  want  the 
child  whom  they  desired  to  educate  named  “Katharine  Francis 
Elizabeth  Margaret,”  (after  themselves,)  probably  the  child  could 
stand  it.  Indians  are  used  to  long  names.  Mnltiply  a society  like 
this  one  indefinitely',  (it  might  be  done,)  and  fancy  the  conse- 
quence !” 

“ The  supply  of  work  for  all  exisiting  societies  aud  all  prospec- 
tive ones  is  at  present  inexhaustible,  and  the  variety  equally  so. 
All  ages  and  talents  can  find  occupation  in  providing  help  through 
all  our  departments.  Missionaries’  cottages  want  carpets  or  rugs, 
furniture,  pictures  and  bright  fancy  articles,  to  make  them  attrac- 
tive homes.  These  need  not  always  be  new  or  cost  much  money. 
A little  judicious  begging  will  frequently  bring  surprising  results. 
One  case  deserves  special  mention.  Four  j'oung  girls,  under 
fifteen  years  of  age, — whose  successful  energy  had  once  before 
been  called  into  action  in  behalf  of  Indians, — were  again  appealed 
to.  They  immediately  began  work  for  a parlor  sale,  and  not  only' 
made  articles  themselves  for  it,  but,  very'  skillfully,  enlisted  their 
friends’  assistance.  Three  months  were  spent  in  busy  prepara- 
tion, then  five  hundred  invitations  were  issued  to  a most  charm- 


ingly  arranged  affair.  It  was  inspiring  to  watch  tlieir  eager 
enthusiasm,  and  I felt  a decided  throb  of  it  myself  when  their 
check  reached  me  for  three  hundred  and  twenty-five  dollars.” 
And  this  bought  land  for  a mission.  The  suggestion  that  each 
Circle  shall  subscribe  for  The  Indian’s  Friend  was  heartily  re- 
ceived ; and,  also,  that  each  pay  the  annual  fee  and  make  its 
leader  a member  of  our  Association,  in  order  that  our  work  may 
be  better  understood  and  reported  to  the  circles.”  During  the 
past  year  the  Chairman  of  this  department  has  written  five  hun- 
dred letters,  has  prepared  and  circulated  seven  leaflets,  and  thou- 
sands of  copies  of  the  publications  of  the  Association.  From  140 
towns  and  from  30  Stales  responses  have  come  to  her  letters  or 
articles  published  in  various  periodicals,  and  as  result  of  this  work 
24  boxes  of  goods  have  been  sent  to  different  tribes,  and  cash  has 
been  collected,  the  two  amounting  to  more  than  $600. 

The  results  of  the  work  of  this  department  ‘‘have  been  both 
surprising  and  cheering.  Letters  have  come  from  all  over  the 
United  States,  and  even  from  Canada,  (400  during  the  year, ) ex- 
pressing regret  at  ignorance  of  the  work,  desire  for  information, 
and  frequently  containing  proffers  of  aid.  From  the  Western 
States,  whose  people  are  generall)'  supposed  to  be  indifferent  and 
even  hostile  to  the  Indians,  have  come  some  of  the  warmest  ex- 
pressions of  interest.  Clergymen,  physicians,  business  men  and 
superintendents  of  Indian  schools  have  sought  information.  Par- 
ents have  written,  ‘‘  We  do  not  wish  our  children  to  be  as  ignorant 
of  this  question  as  we  have  been.”  Sunday-school  teachers  have 
asked,  ‘‘How  can  we  interest  our  classes?”  Leaders  of  circles, 
Christian  Endeavor  societies,  and  others  have  planned  missionary 
meetings  to  discuss  the  Indian  question.”  ‘‘The  letters  have 


28 


come  from  thirt3'-three  States  aud  Territories ; aud  subscribers  to 
The  Indian’s  Friend,  have  been  obtained  in  twenty-two  States. 
The  members  of  one  circle,  although  deprived  of  the  blessings  of 
speech  aud  hearing,  can  yet  forget  themselves  in  work  for  others. 
Thej'  have  sent  a box,  aud  are  now  busily  at  work  raising  moue}'. 
These  “Silent  Daughters  of  the  King”  still  speak.  Maj- mau}- 
listen! 

The  moiiev’  received  this  j-ear  has  been  chiefl}^  in  small  sums 
aud  from  mauj-  givers.  The  exception  here,  too,  must  be  credited 
to  Jamaica  Plain,  Mass.,  two  of  whose  j-ouug  people  held  a fair 
and  cleared  one  hundred  aud  fiftj-  dollars  for  the  hospital  at  Crow 
Creek,  South  Dakota.  Oue  of  the  many  achievements  of  this  de- 
partment was  the  sending  or  securing  seventeen  boxes  or  barrels 
of  house- keeping  articles  for  the  Moquis  of  Arizona,  who  are 
undergoing  one  of  the  most  marked  changes  to-da}-  taking  place 
in  any  tribe  of  men. 

THE  DEP.ARTMENT  OF  INDI.AN  LIBR.ARIES 

Adopted  September,  1890,  though  its  Chairman  personally  begau 
that  line  of  work  some  months  earlier,  has  wrought  wide  benefit, 
providing  reading  matter  for  returned  Indian  students,  for  read- 
ing rooms  ou  reservations  and  for  other  Indian  libraries.  In  1S91 
to  this  department  was  added  “ Industries,’’  aud  it  is  now  finding 
industral  work  for  those  read}-  to  undertake  it,  which  is  oue  of 
the  most  practical  and  important  kinds  of  Indian  help.  Its  name 
describes  it  aims,  aud  already-  “there  are  seveutj'-five  Indian 
schools  into  which  periodicals  are  going,”  aud  these  are  doing 
much  to  Americanize  the  j'ouug  Indians.  One  Superintendent 
sa5's  “If  \'ou  could  have  seen  the  children  at  S’Kokomish  de- 


29 


vouriiig  the  St.  Nicholas  and  Ceiitur}’  pictures,  j-ou  would  realize 
the  degree  in  which  you  are  aiding  our  work.”  He  adds  : ‘‘The 
Christian  Union  is  invaluable,  and  I am  in  the  habit  of  translating 
the  ‘outlook’  into  child  language  for  them,  thus  keeping  up  an 
interest  in  passing  events.”  In  regard  to  the  pupils  at  another 
school  to  which  he  has  been  transferred,  he  writes  : ‘‘  It  is  not 

too  much  to  S33"  that  their  little  stock  of  literature  is  opening  a 
new  life  to  them.  Its  effect  is  so  important  that  I would  hardly 
call  it  an  adjunct  to  their  school  work;  rather,  a complement. 
It  is  inciting  them  to  what  we  wish  above  all  things,  conversation 
in  English.  It  gives  them  an  interest  in  American-  affairs.  Even 
the  handling-  of  one  of  our  best  magazines  with  its  excellent 
illustrations,  has  a great  influence  on  any  child.”  Another,  an 
Indian,  says:  ‘‘ 1 have  received  your  most  welcome  letter  some 

time  ago,  but  I never  have  had  time  to  answer  your  kind  letter. 
I am  busj-  nearly  all  the  time  helping  Miss  Fletcher  in  her  allot- 
ment. You  have  asked  me  if  I wished  to  have  [name  of  paper] 
sent  to  me?  Yes,  if  you  please,  for  I always  want  to  read  good 
papers.  And  I thauk  you  for  the  kind  offer  and  the  interest  that 
you  have  taken  in  the  poor  Indian  like  me.”  ‘‘  What  the  Indians 
need  is  that  everj’  fibre  of  them  shall  come  to  thrill  with  the  in- 
spiration of  American  ideas,  and  that  ever\-  life  shall  become 
more  civilized  by  a knowledge  of  American  waj’s,  ” and  those 
who  send  the  Indians  illustrated  magazines  and  papers  contain- 
ing scenes  of  happj'  home  life  and  of  childhood  and  youth  as 
shown  in  the  dailj'  life  of  earnest  and  of  play  among  ourselves,  do 
these  people  a great  good.  Their  powers  of  observation  are  be- 
j-ond  ours,  and  when  they  studj’  these  pictures,  as  they  surely 
will  do,  the  inevitable  comparisons  will  lay  foundations  for 


deeper  lessons.  “ Our  children  are  perfectly  greedy  for  reading 
matter,”  writes  another  superintendent,  ‘‘and  everything  they  can 
get  hold  of  is  devoured  to  the  best  of  their  ability.  The  post- 
office  is  in  the  school  and  every  mail  day  the  children  come  and 
want  all  the  circulars,  advertisements,  sample  copies,  etc.,  which 
are  always  coming  to  a postoffice.”  “ Above  all,  let  us  have  plenty 
of  illustrations.  For  the  little  ones  run  to  the  older  pupils  with 
the  fascinating  picture  and  want  to  know  what  they  are  about, 
and  in  this  wa)'  many  a lesson  comes  and  many  a new  idea  of  the 
wonders  of  civilization  flashes  into  the  minds  of  the  children 
They  are  capable  of  appreciating  good  pictures,  and,  with  teach- 
ing and  mingling  freely  with  our  life,  would  give  us  the  quick  eye 
and  the  skilled  hand  that  we  so  often  seek  abroad.”  Another 
report  says,  ‘‘  A young,  educated  Indian  writes  of  the  needs  of 
his  people:  White  people  always  keep  sight  of  their  children 

until  they  are  substantially  founded  on  a solid  basis  in  life.  Just 
so  must  we  do  with  the  Indian  children  in  order  to  make  men  and 
women  out  of  them.”  ‘‘ This  strikes  the  keynote  of  the  Indian 
work  for  us  at  home.”  ‘‘  Had  I not  been  helped  by  kind  friends 
during  my  school  days  and  after  starting  life,”  adds  this  same 
young  Indian,  who  is  now  earning  his  living  in  a profession,  ‘‘I 
would  be  struggling  far  behind  where  I am,  and  ni}’  ambition 
would  be  dead.”  To  meet  this  great  need  of  many  educated  and 
other  young  Indians,  there  is  now  in  process  of  organization  an 
Indian  Industries  League. 

HOSPITAL  WORK 

Was  adopted  as  a department  in  1890,  but  had  been  on  a small 
scale  employed  at  various  points  in  connection  with  the  mis- 
sionary work  before  that  date,  and  I1500  had  been  gathered 


31 


from  different  Branches  and  individuals  for  a hospital  among  the 
Omahas.  But  as  their  ph3-sician,  and  friends,  advised  that  the 
time  for  it  in  that  tribe  had  not  >’et  come,  these  funds,  with  con- 
sent of  the  donors,  were  appropriated  for  similar  help  elsewhere. 

The  new  Hospital  Committee  for  its  first  work  gathered  contri- 
butions towards  building  a hospital  at  Crow  Creek  Ageuc}',  S, 
Dakota,  and  collected  some  hundreds  of  dollars  for  the  pur- 
pose, when  its  establishment  was  finally  undertaken  and  ac- 
complished bj’  Government.  Other  hospitals  are  planned  and 
will,  it  is  hoped,  be  erected  at  some  of  the  many  places  where  the)' 
are  greatly  needed  and  could  do  very  important  service.  Miss 
Laura  E.  Tileston,  the  first  chairman  of  the  Committee,  says, 
“Ventilation  and  hygiene  are  almost  unknown  in  the  Indian 
country.  In  the  long  ago,  when  tents  were  the  only  houses 
known,  the  inside  condition  of  things  was  not  so  bad.  large 
opening  at  the  top  of  the  lent  let  out  the  smoke  of  the  open  fire 
on  the  ground  below.  There  was  good  circulation,  and  plenty  of 
fresh  air  admitted  around  the  edges  and  through  the  door.  The 
earth  floor  absorbed  whatever  was  thrown  upon  it,  and  before 
there  was  time  for  it  to  be  unclean  a hunt  or  some  outside  interest 
moved  the  abode  to  some  distant  ground.  Spring  and  fall  house- 
cleaning was  the  result,  with  new  floors  and  new  everything. 
Now  it  is  all  changed,  and  instead  there  is  a little  log  house,  full 
of  people,  overheated  by  a great  fire  in  a close  stove,  and  with 
meat  in  one  corner,  given  out  one  Friday  and  kept  housed  until 
the  next,  or  as  long  as  it  lasts.  Two  tiny  windows,  seldom, 
opened,  and  an  earth  floor  which  receives  anything  that  drops, 
and  is  lived  on  from  one  year’s  end  to  another,  complete  the 
picture.  Can  you  conceive  why  the  Indians  have  lung  aiu]  blopfi 
troubles  ?’’ 


Miss  Ada  Porter,  who  acted  as  head  nurse  at  Hampton  Institute 
for  nine  years,  went  to  Crow  Creek  as  “field  matron,”  for  the 
winter.  In  accepting  this  government  position,  her  salary  was 
secured,  and  she  was  allowed  to  visit  freely  among  the  Indians. 
Her  work  was  primarily,  to  care  for  the  sick.  Dr.  Treon’s  rooms 
were  given  for  them  during  the  winter.  She  also  gave  instruction 
in  hygiene  in  the  school,  and  visited  the  homes,  doing  all  that 
she  could  to  teach  women  better  ways  of  living.  The  expenses  of 
the  hospital  were  met  through  the  money  in  our  treasury  from 
various  sources.  One  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  were  raised  in 
Jamaica  Plain,  through  the  kind  interest  of  Miss  Ives,  chairman 
of  the  Young  People’s  Department,  by  the  young  daughters  of 
Mr.  Whitcomb,  aud  this  W'as  given  to  this  work.  The  rest  of  the 
I390,  was  contributed  through  Miss  Porter  and  Mrs.  Richards,  of 
Hampton,  and  Indian  women  in  Dakota,  aud  Indian  and  colored 
girls  in  the  Hampton  Institute,  and  others. 

Helps  are  given  for  Kindergarten  work  now  universally  recog- 
jiizea  as  being  adapted  to  influence,  instruct  aud  elevate  parents 
through  their  children,  as  well  as  the  children,  aud  as  one  of  the 
speediest  methods  of  helping  elementary  human  progress.  Letters 
to  the  Corresponding  Secretary  of  the  Association  will  give  infor- 
mation regarding  this  Hue  of  service. 

The  present  transitional  period  of  Indian  civilization  often  calls 
‘for  assistance  in  way  of  temperance  legislation,  or  for  its  enforce- 
ment, and  a Committee  is  now  ready  to  receive  appeals  of  this 
kind  and  to  place  them  in  the  hands  of  the  national  or  of  a State 
W.  C.  T.  U.,  or  where  they  will  receive  due  consideration. 
Inquiries  on  this  subject  may  be  addressed  to  the  Chairman  of  the 
Committee.  See  page  43. 

A list  of  all  the  departments  nanied,  with  tlie  addresses  of  their 


chairmen,  will  be  found  on  pages  42  and  43,  and  to  these  chair- 
men all  inquiries  regarding  their  respective  departments  should 
be  addressed.  This  brief  outline  of  the  leading  activities  of  the 
Association  suggests  but  a glimpse*  of  the  wide  leavening  of 
public  sentiment  wrought,  and  of  the  great  advancement  of  Indian 
elevation  secured  by  the  Association,  for  moral  effects  are  uncata- 
logued and  cannot  be  fully  chronicled. 

The  various  financial  reports  of  the  Association,  together  with 
the  large  sums  used  by  some  of  its  branches  and  not  passing 
through  the  general  treasury,  aggregate  probably  quite  one  hun- 
dred thousand  dollars  expended  by  the  society  during  its  history, 
a not  insignificant  sum  surely,  and  especially  when  one  considers 
the  many  and  wide  activities  it  has  set  in  motion. 

HOW  IS  THE  WORK  DONE? 

The  chief  work  of  the  Association  is  done,  as  abdX’e  outlined, 
by  national  standing  conunittees  or  departments,  and  by  sub-com- 
mittees in  state  auxiliaries  and  their  local  branches.  The  general 
organization  is  federal  and  simple.  In  some  of  the  larger  states 
there  are  two  half-state  associations,  these  having  the  same  rank 
as  state  societies,  as  have  those  of  the  territories,  and  also  of  the 
ten  greater  cities  of  the  country.  The  Annual  Reports  for  1891 
and  1892  contain  the  present  constitution  of  the  Association,  and 
a form  for  the  constitution  of  a state  auxiliary,  and  for  that  of 
local  branches,  and  can  be  had  on  application  to  the  Corre- 
sponding Secretary.  Any  persons  interested,  in  a state  not  yet 

fuller  record  of  the  work  will  he  found  in  Chapter  XV  of  the  book  en- 
titled Woman’s  Work  in  .America,  by  Annie  Nathan  Meyer,  published  by  Henry 
Holt  & Co..  New  York. 


adequately  organized,  can  by  their  own  method  form  themselves 
into  an  Indian  Association,  and  on  application  to  our  national 
Executive  Board,  which  has  always  had  charge  of  organizing  and 
admitting  branches,  can  be  received,  if  willing  to  adopt  some  of 
the  Association’s  lines  of  labor  and  to  work  in  harmon)'  with  it. 
Its  literature  and  further  instructions  can  be  had  from  the  Corre- 
sponding Secretary.  If  it  is  in  a state  already  organized,  the  new 
association  should  apply  to  the  state  Board  for  admission. 

.\iiother  and  simpler  organization,  in  cases  where  a fully  organ- 
ized association  is  not  practicable,  is  the  formation  of  an  Indian 
Committee,  b}'  a vote  of  any  meeting  called  to  hear  of  the  work  of 
this  Association,  and  such  a committee  needs  but  a chairman,  sec- 
retary and  treasurer.  It  need  not  have  a constitution  or  regular 
meeting.  To  meet  when  called  by  the  chairman,  for  some  special 
work  contemplated,  or  when  an  interesting  speaker  can  be  ob- 
tained, would  suffice.  Such  a committee  should  enroll  as  contrib- 
uting members  all  who  donate  any  sum  whatever  for  the  work  of 
any  department  of  the  state  or  of  the  national  Association,  and  the 
members  should  as  far  as  practicable  spread  intelligence  of  the 
needs  of  Indians,  and  invite  friends  to  aid  with  gifts  however 
small,  and  should  insert  facts  on  the  Indian  situation  in  local 
papers,  and  at  need,  send  letters  and  petitions  to  their  Represent- 
atives in  Congress  on  behalf  of  just  Indian  legislation  or  against 
unjust  measures  under  consideration.  Such  committees  could  also 
provide  a box  of  clothing  or  other  supplies  for  some  ueed5'  tribe. 
Ill  every  community  there  are  doubtless  some  who  would  esteem 
it  a privilege  thus  to  help  finish  the  work  needed  for  our  native 
heathen,  and  in  discharge  of  a debt  which  all  citizens  of  this  coun- 
try owe  to  the  aboriginal  race  whose  oppression  and  cruel  treat- 
ment all  with  shame  recognize  and  deplore.  This  kind  of  Indian 


work  could  be  done  in  the  smallest  village  and  in  any  rural  neigh- 
borhood, and  the  small  gifts  of  such  helpers  would  make  an  ag- 
gregate which  would  enable  The  Women’s  National  Indian  Asso- 
ciation soon  to  supply  with  missions  the  destitute  tribes  and  separ- 
ated parts  of  tribes.  We  have  forty-eight  states  and  territories,  a 
number  ajiiply  able  to  furnish  the  help  now  lacking  if  each  state 
were  during  a year  to  furnish  means  to  open  but  one  new  mission. 
It  would  take  but  a hundred  members  in  each  of  twenty  towns  in 
a state,  at  a dollar  apiece  annually,  to  gather  a sum  sufficient;  or 
forty  towns  at  half  a dollar  a member  could  provide  it.  And  in 
this  process  of  planting  the  new  mission  enough  new  friends  of 
Indians,  as  experience  proves,  would  be  found  to  enable  some  de- 
nomination to  provide  for  it  when  transferred  from  our  union 
society  to  denominational  care. 

WHY  SHOULD  WK  DO  THIS  WORK? 

Some  of  the  reasons  which  inspired  the  first  efforts  of  this  .Asso- 
ciation still  exist.  At  that  date  it  was  not  in  law  a crime  to  kill  an 
Indian,  and  the  red  man  had  no  rights  which  the  white  man  was 
bound  to  respect.  He  was  still  subject  to  enforced  removals  from 
his  own  land;  he  was  constantly  robbed;  the  United  States  Indian 
agent  had  despotic  power  over  him  and  could  suspend  all  trade  on 
the  reservation,  could  suspend  the  chief,  and  drive  off,  or  arrest  all 
visitors  whose  presence  he  might  not  approve  or  desire.  The 
Indian  could  not  make  contracts;  he  could  not  himself  sell  any- 
thing he  could  raise  or  manufacture  except  to  the  trader  appointed 
by  Govern ment;  he  had  no  legal  title  or  interest  in  the  annual 
productions  of  the  soil;  he  was  banished  to  wild  reservations,  and 
required  to  farm  where  farming  was  impossible  even  to  instructed 


36 


farmers,  and  at  the  same  time  he  was  deprived  of  arms  and  am- 
munition for  hunting,  and  was  then  forbidden  to  leave  the  reserva- 
tion ! The  white  man  supplanted  him  in  trapping  and  hunting, 
in  the  seal  and  salmon  fisheries  of  the  Pacific  coast,  and,  though 
the  Indian  was  a natural  herder  of  cattle  it  was  made  a felon}-  for 
him  to  sell  them.  Our  nation  practically  prohibited  all  lines  of 
work  natnral  to  him,  and  falsified  its  promises  to  furnish  him 
means  for  farming,  the  one  kind  of  labor  prescribed  and  insisted 
upon.  There  was  ceaseless  oppression,  and  all  these  crimes  burn 
with  a lurid  light  in  all  the  records  of  our  dealings  with  Indians. 
[See  The  Protection  of  Law  for  Indians,  by  General  Leake,  and 
pamphlets  upon  this  subject  by  The  Indian  Rights  Association.] 
How  great  a debt  to  the  Indian  has  our  nation  contracted  by  all 
these  crimes  against  his  natural  rights,  his  manhood,  his 
humanity  ! And  many  of  these  wrongs  still  exist. 

But  the  agitation  of  this  whole  subject  was  at  last  popular}- 
begun  in  the  spring  of  1879,  by  the  work  now  known  as  that  of  The 
Women’s  National  Indian  Association,  and  this  was  the  first  or- 
ganization devoted  to  this  object.  The  work  of  the  Indian 
Rights -Association,  organized  by  Herbert  Welsh,  Esq.,  and  which 
has  since  done  admirable  and  efficient  service,  began  just  as  the 
fourth  annual  petition  of  the  women’s  society  was  ready  for  Con- 
gress. It  was  the  persistent  appeals  of  this  women’s  society  to  all 
classes  of  citizens,  by  petitions,  and  assemblies,  political,  philan- 
thropic and  religious,  and  its  work  through  the  press,  both  secular 
and  religious  which  originated  the  modern  popular  movement  on 
behalf  of  Indians,  and  it  was  these  efforts,  with  those  of  the  Indian 
Rights  -Association  and  other  friends  of  Indians,  combined  with  the 
great  work  of  Senator  Dawes,  which  in  March,  1SS7,  secured  the 
passage  of  the  Dawes  Severalty  Bill  which  forever  opeued  the  door 


37 


of  United  States  citizenship  to  the  red  man  and  gave  to  him  lands 
in  severalty  with  legal  protection.  More  than  ninety-two  thousand 
allotments  of  land  have  been  made  or  are  in  process  of  com- 
pletion, including  those  which  antedate  the  severalty  law,  over 
thirty  thousand  allotments  having  been  made  since  the  latter 
was  enacted.  The  Indians  holding  these  allotments  have  passed 
out  of  helpless  savage  relations  into  the  status  of  free  men  under 
our  flag,  and  the  path  to  this  all-including  privilege  is  now  open 
to  all  of  the  aboriginal  race  among  us.  To  help  the  great  ma- 
jority of  those  who  have  not  yet  been  able  to  avail  themselves  of 
the  new  privilege,  and  still  further  to  confirm  in  civilization  and 
aid  in  development  the  thirty  thousand  new  Indian  citizens,  are 
two  of  the  reasons  why  we  still  labor  as  an  .\ssociation  on  their 
behalf. 

There  are  still  about  sixty  agents  over  Indians,  and  these 
have, even  at  this  late  date, often  too  great  power  for  the  safety  of 
those  under  them.  These  agents  in  the  past  have  been  appointed 
almost  wholly  for  political  service  rendered,  rather  than  for 
fitness  for  the  work  of  civilizing  a savage  people,  and  great  effort 
is  still  needed  for  reform  in  the  method  of  appointing  Indian  offi- 
cials, though  Civil  Service  Reform  has  alread}’  been  applied  to 
many  classes  of  appointees  in  the  Indian  service.  To  labor  for 
he  speediest  wise  abolition  of  agents  and  agencies;  to  gain  the 
application  of  civil  service  reform  to  all  Indian  officials  while 
these  are  needed;  to  help  guard  Indian  interests  from  fraud;  to 
help  move  Government  to  provide  irrigation  iu  regions  where  In- 
dian agriculture  is  impossible  without  it;  to  aid  in  securing  ap- 
propriations for  the  education  of  all  Indians  of  school  age,  and  to 
move  .\merican  Christians  to  place  Christian  missions  within 
reach  of  all  Indians,  are  the  other  reasons  for  the  continuance  of 


3S 


our  work.  This  last  should  be  an  easy  and  speedy  task  for  the 
15,000,000  of  Christians  in  this  country  to  accomplish,  and  the 
appeal  is  largely  and  appropriately  to  the  Christian  women  of  the 
nation,  as  these  constitute  about  two-thirds  of  all  the  churches. 

The  mothers,  wives  and  sisters  of  our  own  race  can  easily 
reach  and  win  the  women  of  the  Indian  tribes  and  thus  save  the 
Indian  race.  There  are  yet  many  specific  tribal  wrongs  to  re- 
dress, and  many  rights  to  define  and  thus  practically  to  obtain. 
There  are  also  great  incentives  to  work  in  the  fact  of  Indian  as- 
piration, of  Indian  ability  and  industr}',  and,  in  the  fact  of  the 
progress  already  made  b}’  the  Indians.  As  illustrations  of  Indian 
ability  and  industr}'  see  the  Reports  of  the  Hampton  and  Carlisle 
and  other  Indian  schools;  see  in  the  Reports  of  the  Commissioner 
of  Indian  Affairs  the  number  of  Indian  employees  under  govern- 
ment; the  statistics  of  the  growing  agriculture  of  Indians  and  the 
greater  fact  that  of  the  250,000  Indians  of  our  country  200,000  are 
already  self-supporting  by  civilized  industries.  The  record  of 
their  progress  is  marvelous  when  the  circumstances  of  the  case 
are  considered.  Nor  are  the  statistics  of  Christian  w'ork  among 
them  less  assuring.  In  the  two  Dakotas  alone  there  are,  accord- 
ing to  the  Reports  of  Dr.  Dorchester,  not  less  than  11,000  Indians 
in  connection  with  Christian  churches  and  congregations,  and  the 
year  books  of  the  great  denominations  contain  statistics  which  are 
ample  encouragement  to  undertake  all  missions  needed  among 
them. 

But  the  greatest  reason  for  pressing  the  work  of  the  Association 
is  the  fact  which  most  appeals  to  the  Christian  heart,  that  the 
great  majoritj'  of  Indians  are  still  in  the  darkness  of  heathenism, 
in  some  cases  darkness  as  dense  as  exists  in  the  world  to  day. 
[See  the  first  article  of  the  October  number  of  Thk  Indian’s 


Friend,  1892,  the  organ  of  the  Association.]  As  the  women  are 
so  will  the  nation  be.  In  inau}-  tribes  the  women  are  still  in 
savager}’.  INIany  also  are  the  victims  of  diabolical  covetousness; 
stolen  from  themselves,  the  sum  of  all  robbeiies,  to  be  mothers  of 
slaves  to  till  the  white  man’s  stolen  lands. 

On  her  trip  around  the  United  States  in  1S91  Mrs.  Quinton, 
president  of  the  .Association,  visited  various  missions  of  the 
society  and  some  of  the  larger  unoccupied  niissionar}-  fields,  and 
reported  from  all  places  seen  the  gladness  of  the  Indians  at  hear- 
ing of  the  practical  work  of  the  .Association;  their  desire  for  mis- 
sionaries to  reside  among  them;  their  eagerness  to  tell  of  their 
wrongs  and  needs,  their  prosperities  and  successes;  their  desire 
for  land  with  good  titles,  and  law  that  could  defend  their  rights. 
The  wildest  tribes,  the  Xavajoes  and  Apaches  of  .Arizona,  were 
seen  to  be,  many  of  them,  manly  men,  while  the  women  were 
well  endowed  and  ‘right  womanly.’  In  these  and  other  fields 
many  thousands  still  wait  for  the  Good  News  brought  to  all 
earth’s  tribes  by  the  Sou  of  God.  These  fields  are  not  occupied, 
and  cannot  at  present  be  supplied  by  the  great  denominational 
societies,  as  their  Secretaries  tell  us.  This  fact  constitutes  the 
appeal  of  our  Missionary  Department.  .And  the  wholesale 
wrongs  still  endured  by  some  of  these  tribes  must  go  on  till  the 
electric  lights  of  Christian  teaching,  influence,  example  and 
presence,  come  to  shame  the  darkness.  In  one  most  need}'  field 
where  we  trust  work  will  soon  begin,  we  are  told  that  “ leading 
Indians  with  child-li’Ke  confidence  and  simplicity  rehearse  their 
stories  of  wrong,  often  asking  that  their  sons  and  daughters  may 
be  taken  into  a family  school,  saying  “the  tide  of  corruption 
about  us  is  so  strong  that  we  cannot  control  it.’’  One  said;  “Our 
children  are  dear  to  us  and  we  wish  to  see  them  trained  and  edu- 


40 


cated  like  white  children.’’  One  instance  was  that  of  the  wife  of 
a former  chief.  A few  days  before  her  death,  she  walked  nearly 
two  miles  to  commit  her  son  and  daughter  to  the  final  care  of  the 
teacher  in  whose  charge  they  already  were  temporarily.  She  was 
so  exhausted  on  arrival  that  it  was  feared  death  would  ensue,  but 
rest  and  refreshment  enabled  her  to  do  her  errand.  Her  emaci- 
ated figure  and  impressive  manner  emphasized  her  words  and 
brought  tears  from  all  who  heard.  She  brought  her  last  gift  to 
the  teacher,  a prett}’  basket.  She  was  carried  home  in  a wagon 
and  soon  died. 

Another  case,  one  of  many,  involved  a pretty,  bright  girl  of 
about  nine  years.  The  mother  scarcely  twenty-five  years  of  age, 
had  been  sold  to  a white  man,  the  father  of  a respectable  family! 
But  he  had  deserted  this  Indian  woman  just  before  the  birth  of 
her  flaxen-haired,  blue  eyed  baby.  Dying  of  quick  consumption, 
she  was  visited  and,  knowing  that  she  would  soon  die,  she 
begged  for  the  assurance  that  her  three  children  would  be 
rightly  brought  up.  She  died  next  day,  comforted,  having 
been  told  that  a good  school  wouldfsoon  be  in  the  valley  where 
her  children  would  be  properl}-  trained  and  cared  for.  A little 
later  the  teacher  went  in  search  of  the  grandmother,  who  had 
takerf  the  children  to  her  home.  ‘She  was  found  not  far  from 
the  agency,  sitting  by  the  road-side,  the  baby  in  her  arms  and  the 
little  boy  and  girl  beside  her,  all  in  tears.  She  had  been  to  the 
agent  for  flour  and  other  supplies  and  had  been  told  that  there 
were  none.  The  father  of  the  blue  eyed  babe  was  appealed  to, 
with  the  same  result.” 

One  Indian  writes;  ‘‘We  pray  to  the  spirit  of  the  trail,  to  the 
darkness,  to  the  mountains  and  to  the  thunder.  Will  not  our 
white  friends  send  us  some  one.  who  will  teach  us  the  true  One 
to  pray  to  ?” 


41 


Some  of  tlie  messages  from  these  destitute  stations  are  ever 
sounding  in  our  ears.  They  are  the  words  of  bright-souled 
Indian  women  who  said,  “I  am  hungry  to  think;”  of  bright 
Indian  girls  who  said,  ‘‘I  must  know  book;”  of  those  who  have 
said  to  newly-arrived  missionaries,  “So  glad  me  cry;”  of  some 
who  dying  have  first  heard  God’s  word  and  said,  “Now  I not 
afraid;  He  will  care  for  me.” 

For  every  reason  all  this  work  for  North  American  Indians 
should  be  hastened  till  all  stand  in  the  satne  relation  as  ourselves 
to  government,  till  all  are  provided  with  all  rights,  privileges  and 
facilities  under  our  laws,  and  with  the  same  religious  light  which 
we  ourselves  enjoy.  Into  the  active,  interesting  and  fruitful  de- 
partments of  labor  pursued  by  The  Women’s  National  Indian 
Association  every  patriot,  every  association  and  committee  desir- 
ing to  participate  in  harmonious  co-operation  will  be  gladly  wel- 
comed, and  ail)'  gift,  however  small,  will  be  gratefully  received 
for  the  objects  served.  For  the  sake  of  patriotism  alone,  if  not 
from  more  sacred  considerations,  is  it  not  a privilege  to  aid  a 
cause  so  just  ? 


CHAIRMEN  OF  STANDING  COMMITTEES. 


Missionary  Department, 

MRS.  A.  S.  QUINTON, 

1S23  Arch  St.,  Philadelphia. 

Home  Building  and  Loan  Department, 

MRS.  E.  P.  GOULD, 

.1813  Regent  St.,  Philadelphia. 

Special  Indian  Education  Committee, 

MRS.  S.  H.  BULLARD, 

149  Beacon  St.,  Boston,  Mass. 

Committee  on  Heeded  Indian  Legislation, 
MISS  KATE  FOOTE, 

The  Fredonia,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Committee  on  Legislative  ICork  for  Branches, 
MISS  MYRA  H.  AVERY, 

137  Academy  St.,  Poughkeepsie,  N.  Y. 
Young  People's  Department, 

MISS  MARIE  E.  IVES, 

P.  O.  Box  1065,  New  Haven,  Conn. 

Committee  on  Indian  Libraries  and  Industries, 
MISS  FRANCES  C.  SPARHAWK, 
Salisbury  Point,  Mass. 


■48 


Missionary  Box  Commiltee, 
MISS  A.  P.  NEWBOPD, 

ICO  South  42(3  St.,  Philadelpliia. 
Commiltee  on  Temperance  Appeals, 
MRS.  CORNELIA  ALFORD, 
315  Monroe  St.,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 
Committee  on  Entertainments, 
MRS.  FAYETTE  SMITH, 
Morristown,  New  Jersey. 
Commiltee  on  Finance, 

MRS.  O.  F.  ZOLLIKOEFER, 
New  York 


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( )l)jects. 


THE  WOMEN’S  NATIONAL  INDIAN 
ASSOCIATION. 


1st.  To  aid  in  securin'^  les^islative  and  le«;al  helps  needed  bv  the 
Indians  of  the  United  States. 

2d.  To  send  and  su])port  suitable  instructors  and  missionaries  to 
reside  amonj'  Indians,  to  labor  for  their  help  industrially,  politi- 
cally, educationally,  morally  and  reli,s^iously. 


OFFICKRS 


OF  THE 

Women’s  National  Indian  Association, 

KOR  1894. 


Honorary  President, 

Mrs.  Mary  L.  Bonney  Rambaut, 

Hamilton,  Madison  Co.,  New  York. 

President, 

Mrs.  Amelia  S.  Quinton, 

1S23  Arch  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Eastern  Vice-President, 

Mrs.  S.  T.  Kinney, 

1162  Chapel  -St.,  New  Haven,  Conn. 

Central  Vice-  President, 

Mrs.  Jerome  Plummer, 

1276  Pacific  St.,  Brooklyn.  N.  Y. 

Western  Vice-President, 

Mrs.  John  Bi dwell, 

Chico,  Cal. 


SoxUhern  Vice  President, 

Mrs.  E.  John  Ellis. 

316  Peters  Ave.,  New  Orleans,  I.a. 

Corresponding  Secretary, 

Miss  Eliza  Williams  Jones, 

1S23  Arch  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Recording  Secretary, 

Mrs.  O.  H.  Wilbur, 

Bryn  Mawr,  Pa. 

Treasurer, 

Miss  Helen  R.  Foote. 

2105  Spruce  .St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Auditor  of  Accounts, 

Mrs.  C.  G.  Boughton, 

1707  Vine  St..  Philadelphia,  Pa. 


